306 ANNTJAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1941 



When man takes wild animals into captivity and endeavors to 

 maintain them, he sets up for himself a definite obligation to furnish 

 them with the comforts and necessities to which they are accustomed 

 in their native state. 



The basis of the entire problem is to view the subject from the stand- 

 point of the animal and its requirements. Experience gained in 

 handling one animal is often of great value in the handling of related 

 kinds, but this is not an infallible guide, as frequently related forms 

 will have different feeding habits and requirements. 



Within the scope of such a brief work as this, it is not possible 

 to treat in detail each kind of animal ; the most that can be attempted 

 is to point out a few of the basic principles that may generally be 

 applied, and to cite additional sources of information where further 

 details regarding certain groups may be obtained.^ Perhaps it will 

 also encourage those who keep live animals to view the subject from 

 the broadest possible standpoint, so that they may obtain new informa- 

 tion regarding the care and requirements of their captives. 



Fairly satisfactory information can frequently be obtained by cor- 

 respondence or personal inquiry from well-informed sources, such as 

 the personnel of zoos, museums, biology departments of universities 

 and high schools, State and governmental agencies, and local natural- 

 ists. 



The work of agencies for the prevention of cruelty to animals is 

 to be commended, and well-run zoos and parks cooperate with them. 



Altogether too often animals are kept as exhibits merely to attract 

 attention to a business enterprise, and the captor has no real fondness 

 for the animal, knowledge of its requirements, or interest in its wel- 

 fare. 



Unhappy, sick, or diseased animals are not pleasing pets or attrac- 

 tive for exhibition. Therefore, any effort on the part of the captor 

 that will keep the animals happy, contented, and in good health, is 

 well justified. The more one knows of the conditions under which 

 the animal lives in the wild, the better able he will be to plan for its 

 welfare. 



It is sometimes said that certain animals cannot be kept in captivity. 

 A better way of stating the fact would be that we do not yet know 

 enough about the requirements of certain animals to be able to keep 

 them successfully. Often certain people have excellent success not 

 only in keeping but in breeding animals that others have said could 



* The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C, 

 has available for distribution many publications formerly is'sued by the U. S. Biological 

 Survey and the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries relating to food habits and care of many different 

 kinds of animals, including earthworms and other forms used for bait or food of animals. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture has issued many 

 publications on the care of domestic stock, including chickens and ducks, that contain 

 useful information. 



